Rigid wrapper for a plurality of packets of cigarettes

ABSTRACT

Packets ( 2 ) of cigarettes are packed in multiples adopting a rigid carton ( 1 ) of parallelepiped shape presenting two end faces ( 11, 12 ) coinciding with the flanks ( 13, 14 ), and four side faces ( 3, 4, 5, 6 ) of which two coincide with the bottom ( 10 ) and the top ( 8 ). One of the side faces ( 3, 4, 5, 6 ) constituting the front ( 7 ) incorporates a removable portion ( 15 ) serving to mask an openable cover ( 19 ) that can be rotated about a hinge ( 20 ) between a position in which the carton ( 1 ) is closed, and an open position exposing the inside of the wrapper, the cover ( 19 ) is provided with a pair of guiding and stabilizing members ( 22 ) attached permanently to two opposite edges ( 23 ), each occupying a plane disposed transversely to the hinge ( 20 ), which are interposed and slidable between the flanks ( 13, 14 ) and the surfaces of the packets ( 2 ) inside, whilst the free edge ( 21 ) is strengthened by a reinforcing fold ( 24 ) and fashioned with a cutaway portion ( 25 ) by means of which the cover ( 19 ) can be gripped and pulled open.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a rigid wrapper for a pluralityof packets of cigarettes.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] It is the conventional practice for packets of cigarettes to bepackaged in multiples using rigid wrappers commonly known as cartons,which appear substantially parallelepiped in shape.

[0003] One type of carton consists in a wrapper of flat and elongatedshape exhibiting four longitudinal faces, including two main faces andtwo narrower faces, and two transverse end faces.

[0004] One of the panels coinciding with one of the two mainlongitudinal faces functions as a lid, secured by a longitudinal flapsealed along one of the two adjoining narrower longitudinal faces. Thelid in this instance cannot be closed stably once the seal is broken,and in effect the general practice is to discard these cartons onceopened since they do not protect the packets thereafter during theperiod of consumption.

[0005] Another carton of comparable type consists in a rigid wrapperappearing as a container, of cupped embodiment, with a similarly cuppedlid hinged to the container in such a manner that one open end of theselfsame container can be closed. The lid is retained in the closedposition by means of a frame projecting from the open end of thecontainer.

[0006] These cartons are designed to serve as storage containers untilall of the packets they hold have been used up, although the flat diecutblanks from which they are fashioned require a relatively large quantityof wrapping material for their preparation and there is a significantamount of waste wrapping material generated in manufacture. Moreover, alid hinged to one end of the container affords ease of access only tothose packets in the container that are positioned nearer to the openend, whereas the user is unable to see the packets positioned at thebottom of the container.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a rigid wrapperthat will permit of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks simply andeconomically.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The stated object is realized according to the invention in arigid wrapper for a plurality of packets of cigarettes, typically ofparallelepiped geometry presenting two end faces, and four side faces ofwhich two constitute a bottom and a top, characterized in that itcomprises an openable cover coinciding with at least one of the faces,rotatable about a relative hinge between a position in which the wrapperis closed and an open position affording access to the inside of thewrapper, and in that the cover is furnished with at least one guidingand stabilizing member lying in a plane transverse to the hinge.

[0009] The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example,with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 illustrates a rigid wrapper according to the presentinvention, viewed schematically and in perspective;

[0011]FIG. 2 shows the wrapper of FIG. 1, viewed schematically and inperspective, illustrating a first preparatory step of the openingprocedure;

[0012]FIG. 3 shows the wrapper of FIG. 1, viewed schematically and inperspective, and ready to be opened;

[0013]FIG. 4 shows the wrapper of FIG. 1, viewed schematically and inperspective, illustrating an intermediate step of the opening procedure;

[0014]FIG. 5 shows the wrapper of FIG. 1, viewed schematically and inperspective and fully opened;

[0015]FIG. 6 is the schematic plan view of a diecut blank from which tofashion the wrapper illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0016] With reference to FIGS. 1 . . . 5 of the accompanying drawings, 1denotes a rigid wrapper or carton of substantially parallelepipedgeometry that serves to contain a plurality of packets 2 of cigarettes,shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0017] In the example of FIGS. 1 to 5, the wrapper 1 exhibits anelongated appearance referable to a predominating longitudinal axis L,presenting four side faces 3, 4, 5 and 6 which extend parallel to theaxis L and coincide respectively with four side walls 7, 8, 9 and 10coinciding in turn with the front, top, back and bottom of the wrapper1. Also indicated are two end faces 11 and 12 disposed transversely tothe axis L, afforded by respective transverse walls 13 and 14constituting the flanks of the wrapper 1.

[0018] As discernible from FIGS. 1 and 2, the front 7 comprises aremovable portion 15 of substantially rectangular appearance delimitedperipherally by a tear and/or perforation line 16.

[0019] The length dimension of the removable portion 15 as measuredalong the predominating axis L is substantially identical to that of thefront 7, whereas the width dimension, measured transversely to the axisL, is less than that of the front 7.

[0020] In particular, the removable portion 15 is placed centrally inrelation to the front 7, in such a way that the two branches of the tearline 16 lying parallel to the predominating axis L, denoted 16 a and 16b, are equidistant from the two corner edges of the wrapper 1 alongwhich the front 7 meets the bottom 10 and the top 8, respectively.

[0021] Also illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a tab 17 integral with theremovable portion 15, delimited by a further tear and/or perforationline 18 in the transverse wall 14 coinciding with the end face denoted12.

[0022] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wrapper 1 comprises anopenable cover 19 behind the front 7, rotatable about a respective hingeline 20 between a position in which the wrapper 1 is closed (see FIG.53) and a position in which the wrapper 1 is fully open (see FIG. 5)allowing the packets 2 to be withdrawn. More precisely, the hinge line20 and the bottom branch 16 a of the tear line 16 extend mutuallyparallel and substantially coincide one with another.

[0023] The front 7 exhibits a portion denoted 7 a lying between thebottom branch 16 a of the tear and/or perforation line 16 and the corneredge joining the front 7 and the bottom 10 of the wrapper 1, and aportion denoted 7 b lying between the top branch 16 b of the tear and/orperforation line 16 and the corner edge joining the front 7 and the top8, both of which serve to restrain the packets 2 inside the wrapper 1.

[0024] In the same way as described previously for the removable portion15, the cover 19 can be placed centrally in relation to the side face 3,in such a manner that the hinge 20 and the free edge 21 lie equidistantfrom the corner edges of the wrapper 1 along which the Front 7 meets thebottom 10 and the top 8, respectively: in short, so that the outline ofthe cover 19 coincides substantially with the tear line 16 of theremovable portion 15.

[0025] As discernible from FIGS. 4 and 5, the cover 19 comprises twoguiding and stabilizing members 22 occupying respective planes disposedtransversely to the hinge 20 and integral with the two opposite lateraledges 23 of the cover 19. More exactly, each one of the two members 22is interposed and slidable between a respective transverse wall 13 and14 and the packets 2 inside the wrapper 1.

[0026] As indicated in FIG. 5, the free edge 21 of the cover 19 isprovided with a reinforcing fold 24 and fashioned with a cutaway portion25, positioned at an intermediate point along the fold, by means ofwhich to pull the cover 19 open.

[0027] With reference now to FIG. 6, the wrapper 1 is fashioned from aflat diecut blank 26 of which the component parts will be referred towhere possible using the same numbers, primed, as those used to identifythe corresponding parts of the wrapper 1.

[0028] The blank 26 appears substantially rectangular in shape andexhibits two longitudinal crease lines, denoted 27 and 28, also aplurality of transverse crease lines denoted 29 . . . 34.

[0029] The transverse crease lines 29 . . . 34 combine with thelongitudinal crease lines 27 and 28 to define a succession of panelscompassed between the selfsame longitudinal crease lines, namely a firstcentral panel 9′ extending between the transverse crease lines denoted32 and 33, and a second panel 10′ and a third panel 8′ one on eitherside of the central panel 9′, extending between the transverse creaselines denoted 31 and 32 and 33 and 34 respectively.

[0030] The third panel 8′ is joined along one transverse crease line 34to a fourth and endmost panel 7′, whilst the second panel 10′ is joinedby way of a band 35 extending between the two transverse crease linesdenoted 31 and 30 to a fifth panel 19′, and this in turn is joined alongthe remaining crease line 29 to a sixth and endmost panel 24′.

[0031] The first panel 9′ coincides with the back 9 of the erectedwrapper 1, the second panel 10′ with the bottom 10, the third panel 8′with the top 8, the fourth panel 7′ with the front 7, the fifth panel19′ with the openable cover 19 and the sixth panel 24′ with thereinforcing fold 24.

[0032] The fourth panel 7′ exhibits the tear and/or perforation line 16serving to define the removable portion 15 of the wrapper 1, and inparticular, the bottom branch 16 a of the line delimits the bottomportion 7 a of the front 7 and the top branch 16 b of the line delimitsthe top portion 7 b.

[0033] The transverse crease line 30 separating the fifth panel 19′ fromthe band 35 coincides with the hinge line 20 of the cover 19 and, moreexactly, the band 35 will be positioned behind and breasted with thebottom portion 7 a of the fourth panel 7′ in the erected wrapper 1.

[0034] The first panel 9′ is associated by way of the longitudinalcrease lines 27 and 28 with a first pair of flaps 36 destined to becomethe end walls or flanks 13 and 14 of the erected wrapper 1.

[0035] The second panel 10′ and the third panel 8′ are associated by wayof the two longitudinal crease lines 27 and 28 with a second and a thirdpair of flaps 37 and 38 destined to function as end folds securing thebottom 10 and the top 8 of the erected wrapper 1 to the flanks 13 and14, as indicated by the phantom lines in FIG. 3.

[0036] The fourth and endmost panel 7′ is associated by way of thelongitudinal crease lines 27 and 28 with a fourth pair of flaps 39functioning as end folds by which the front 7 of the wrapper 1 issecured to the flanks 13 and 14, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0037] Finally, the fifth panel 19′ is associated by way of thelongitudinal crease lines 27 and 28 with a fifth pair of flaps 221destined to function as the guiding and stabilizing members 22 of thecover 19.

[0038] The blank 26 also exhibits a hole 40 positioned at anintermediate point on the transverse crease line denoted 29 and in suchway that when the sixth panel 24′ is folded back and flattened againstthe fifth panel 19′, the resulting void will provide the cutaway portion25 by means of which to pull the cover 19 open.

[0039] In addition, one of the flaps 39 associated with the fourth panel7′ will present the aforementioned tear and/or perforation line 18serving to delimit the tab 17, which exhibits a substantially U-shapedoutline and is positioned to coincide with a gap in the tear and/orperforation line 16 delimiting the removable portion 15 of the wrapper1. It will be observed also that the flap 36 destined to overlap theflap 39 with the tear line 18 is fashioned with a notch 41 to facilitatethe action of lifting the tab 17.

[0040] The wrapper 1 is erected by bending and folding the variouspanels and flaps of the blank 26 in a manner that will be apparent fromthe foregoing description. Thereafter, when the moment comes to exposethe contents, the user will grip the tab 17 of the removable portion 15and pull it back as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 so as to reveal thecover 19 underneath, whereupon it becomes possible to gain access to theinside of the carton, take out one or more packets 2 and reclose thecover 19.

[0041] The advantages of the invention consist in the fact that thewrapper 1 can be kept intact for the duration of use as the packets 2are consumed one by one, and moreover, as discernible from FIG. 5, thefact that the wrapper 1 can be exploited by retailers as a displaycarton, with the removable portion 15 carrying promotional messagesprinted directly on the carton material or on coupons of whatever typeattached to the selfsame portion 15.

[0042] Finally, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the blank 26 from which thewrapper 1 is fashioned is a diecut of substantially traditional typegenerating little waste, and consequently can be utilized on existingcartoners without the need for modifications of any great significance.

1) a rigid wrapper for a plurality of packets of cigarettes, typically awrapper (1) of parallelepiped geometry presenting two end faces (11,12), and four side faces (3, 4, 5, 6) of which two constitute a bottom(10) and a top (8), characterized in that it comprises an openable cover(19) coinciding with at least one of the faces (3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12),rotatable about a relative hinge (20) between a position in which thewrapper (1) is closed and an open position affording access to theinside of the wrapper; and in that the cover (19) is furnished with atleast one guiding and stabilizing member (22) lying in a planetransverse to the hinge (20). 2) A wrapper as in claim 1, wherein onedimension of the cover (19) measured in a direction parallel to thehinge (20) is substantially identical to the dimension of the wrapper(1) measured in the same direction, the guiding and stabilizing member(22) being integral with one edge (23) of the cover (19) and interposedbetween one wall (7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14) of the wrapper (1), coincidingwith one of the faces (3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12), and the packets (2) insidethe wrapper (1). 3) A wrapper as in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover (19)comprises two guiding and stabilizing members (22) integral with twoopposite edges (23) of the selfsame cover (19). 4) A wrapper as inclaims 1, 2 and 3, wherein one dimension of the cover (19) measured in adirection transverse to the hinge (20) is less than the correspondingdimension of the wrapper (1) measured along the same direction. 5) Awrapper as in claim 4, wherein the cover (19) is centred in relation tothe face (3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12) with which it coincides, in such a waythat the hinge (20) and the free edge (21) of the cover (19) lie atidentical distances from respective corner edges of the wrapper (1). 6)A wrapper as in claim 1, wherein the cover (19) coincides with a face(3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12) of which the corresponding wall (7, 8, 9, 10, 13,14) constitutes the front (7) of the wrapper (1) and masks the cover(19), and the same front wall (7) is furnished with a portion (15)delimited by tear lines (16), extending substantially around theperipheral outline of the cover (19), in such a way that it can beremoved to afford access to the cover (19). 7) A wrapper as in claim 6,wherein the removable portion (15) affords a tab (17) located andformed, by means of a tear line (18), on one face (3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12)coinciding with one flank (13, 14) of the wrapper (1) adjacent to thewall (7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14) of the wrapper which masks the cover (19). 8)A wrapper as in claim 6 or 7, wherein the removable portion (15)provides a support for promotional messages and/or coupons. 9) A wrapperas in claims 1 to 8, fashioned from a substantially rectangular flatdiecut blank (26) presenting two longitudinal crease lines (27, 28) anda plurality of transverse crease lines (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)combining to delimit a first central panel (9′) coinciding with the back(9), a second panel (10′) and a third panel (8′) disposed on oppositesides of the first panel (9′) and coinciding respectively with thebottom (10) and the top (8), a fourth panel (7′) connected to the thirdpanel (8′) and coinciding with the wall (7) which masks the cover (19)and coincides with the front (7), directly opposite the back (9), also afifth panel (19′) connected to the second panel (10′) by way of atransversely disposed band (35) and coinciding with the openable cover(19); the two longitudinal crease lines (27, 28) also delimiting a firstpair of flaps (36) associated one on either side with the first panel(9′), second and third pairs of flaps (37, 38) associated respectivelyone on either side with the second and the third panel (10′, 8′), afourth pair of flaps (39) associated one on either side with the fourthpanel (7′), and a fifth pair of flaps (22′) associated one on eitherside with the fifth panel (19′) and coinciding with the guiding andstabilizing members (22) of the cover (19). 10) A wrapper as in claim 9,wherein the fifth panel (19′) is connected to the band (35) along arespective transverse crease line (30) coinciding with the hinge (20),and each flap (22′) of the fifth pair presents an appendage extending ina direction parallel to the respective longitudinal crease line (27, 28)through a distance equal to the corresponding dimension of the band (35)as measured along the selfsame direction parallel to the longitudinalcrease line (27, 28). 11) A wrapper as in claim 9, wherein the fifthpanel (19′) is associated by way of the edge remote from the centralpanel (9′) with a sixth panel (24′) destined ultimately to be bent alongthe relative transverse crease line (29) and flattened against theinside face of the fifth panel (19′) to provide a reinforcing fold (24)along the pulling edge of the openable cover (19). 12) A wrapper as inclaim 11, wherein the blank (26) affords a hole (40) located on thetransverse crease line (29) between the sixth panel (24′) and the fifthpanel (19′) in such a way that when the sixth panel (241) is bent alongthe relative transverse crease line (29) and flattened against theinside face of the fifth panel (19′), it will generate a cutaway portion(25) that can be used to pull and open the cover (19).